WORLD WIDE ROBIN HOOD SOCIETY CELEBRATES 20 YEARS AS ONE OF THE LEADING INFORMATION SOURCES ON ALL ASPECTS OF THE LEGENDARY SHERWOOD OUTLAW.On March 17th2018, the Nottingham-based World Wide Robin Hood Society will mark its 20th Anniversary Year with a programme of varied initiatives including:*The publication of a new book about Robin Hood and the legend’s global impact.*A local cookery contest to find the best recipe for a Robin Hood Pie.*Anniversary theme to the Society’s annual “Feather in Your Cap” business awards. *A children’s story writing competition.*Developing an illustrated Robin Hood talk available to groups and societies.Although the Society was originally a membership-based organisation, over the last 2 decades it has evolved into one of the leading internet-based information resources on all things associated with Robin Hood. It is used extensively by the media and the tourism industry and the Society has contributed to numerous global television documentaries and historical features including BBC’s The One Show; Sky Travel Channel’s “Expedition Unknown” series and French TV’s “Secrets Histoire” series. The Society has also participated in hundreds of radio programmes around the globe, including South America, the USA, Europe, Korea and Australia. Society Chairman, Bob White, said “The very first Robin Hood Society was established in London in the 1700’S and was a club or assembly for public debate. It held its popular, regular meetings in the Robin Hood public house in Butcher Row, near Temple Bar, which is how the Society acquired its name. In the 1970’s, a Nottingham-based Robin Hood Society was created by the local historian and Robin Hood expert, Jim Lees, and its members often dressed up in costume as various characters from the Sherwood tales and helped raise funds for local charities. In the Nineties, Nottingham City Council joined forces with the Nottingham Evening Post and set up a Robin Hood Club especially aimed at youngsters, which featured a series of cartoon woodland animals known as “The Tails of Sherwood”.The present day, internet-based World Wide Robin Hood Society was originally the inspiration of co-founder and sponsor, Mike Douglas from Hull, who established a successful communications business in Nottingham in the late 1990’s. He said “Over the past twenty years the Society has seen many changes but the phenomenal global interest in Robin Hood has never faltered and the legendary outlaw continues to be an iconic figure with a massive international fan base, and he regularly features in new films, books and the global media.”For further information contact Bob White on e-mail at bob@robinhood.info or by phone on (0115) 9523183 or mobile 07504 852731 or visit the Society website at www.robinhood.infoRead more...

NEW STAGE INTERPRETATION LINKS LEGEND TO SIX SOCIAL ERAS!

Specially commissioned to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of Nottingham's Theatre Royal, "HOOD – The Legend Continues" is a unique play that weaves the traditional characters and principles from the Robin Hood legend into the historic time-frame that reflects some of the social issues and events over the century and a half of the Theatre's existence. This dual celebration of both the theatre and the legend represents a real challenge for any theatre company to take on but New Perspectives, as their name suggests, have creatively interwoven the interesting and varied approaches from six of the region's best writers and managed to deliver an entertaining and thought-provoking production. Congratulations to Jack McNamara and all his team of actors, writers and behind the scenes staff, who all helped to "pull-it-off"!

Combining some "laugh-out-loud" moments with some serious social comment, the difficult balance between humour and drama are generally effectively maintained throughout the performance. Lots of "in" jokes mirroring local politics and events etc. drew knowing, appreciative responses from the press night audience but "outsiders" might struggle to pick up on their significance?

Excellent performances from a competent and professional cast all helped to give each storyline a degree of plausibility and the creative ways in which the transition from one era to the other was achieved ensured a pretty much seamless progression between acts that kept the play moving at a pace that held your attention.

The musical contributions of Ed Thorpe as Alan A dale and Adam Morris's sharp wit as the Sheriff of Nottingham (including his white-suited, John Travolta-style dance routine) all helped capture the mood and the production as a whole encapsulated all the essential elements from the traditional stories, including Robin's feuding with the Sheriff; his romance with Maid Marian and the camaraderie of the Merry Men (although Friar Tuck only got mentioned in the narrative and never actually put in an appearance?)

The simple but effective stage set readily adapted to the changing situations and there were some really nice touches, such as the silent movie-style sequence, featuring authentic looking captions and I also enjoyed the protest rally against the Sheriff's Way.

The unique concept of the play and its Nottingham focus make it somewhat difficult to explain what the audience can expect but it is definitely a production worth seeing and I recommend that you go along and see if it works for you! But you will have to hurry as "Hood" concludes its run on Saturday September 26th so telephone the Box Office on (0115) 9895555 or book on line at trch.co.uk.